Northwest Community among hospitals recognized for short ER wait times

Karen Ann Cullotta / Chicago Tribune

Dr. Daniel Reaven, head of the emergency department at Northwest Community Hospital, left, and Phyllis Cerone, the hospital's executive director of critical care services, said a new Rapid Medical Evaluation program has reduced patient wait times in the ER room.

Dr. Daniel Reaven, head of the emergency department at Northwest Community Hospital, left, and Phyllis Cerone, the hospital's executive director of critical care services, said a new Rapid Medical Evaluation program has reduced patient wait times in the ER room. (Karen Ann Cullotta / Chicago Tribune)

At Northwest Community, patients wait an average of 20 minutes – second best time among busiest hospital

Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights was recently recognized for providing patients with the second shortest emergency room wait times among the busiest hospitals in Cook County.

Officials credited a new and more efficient emergency department protocol with the success.

According to a report from the Illinois Department of Public Health, among the 10 busiest ER rooms in the Cook County area, Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Harvey ranked first, with an 11-minute average wait time for emergency department patients before seeing a doctor or nurse, followed by Northwest Community Hospital in second place, with a 20-minute average wait time.

Berwyn's MacNeal Hospital ranked third, with a 22-minute average wait time, according to the report.

"It's all about getting patients seen and treated as quickly as we can from the minute they walk in the door," said Dr. Daniel Reaven, head of Northwest Community's emergency department.

"We want patients to be able to get in and out, so they can go about their day, instead of spending hours languishing in the waiting room."

While some thought passage of the Affordable Care Act would take the pressure off emergency departments treating uninsured patients for minor illnesses, Reaven said Northwest Community and hospitals across the U.S. have actually seen an increase in ER visits since the federal law took effect.

"Some of the patients we're seeing have actually given up their (ACA) insurance, and there are different theories why," Reaven said. "But we're also seeing more people now, because they have new insurance plans and benefits that they didn't have before."

Though the number of patients who leave the emergency department without being seen is on the rise nationwide, Reaven said only 0.50 percent – one of every 1,000 patients – leaves the Northwest Community emergency department without being seen by a doctor or nurse.

The hospital's new Rapid Medical Evaluation protocol, which replaced the traditional "triage" model, is a key factor in providing faster and better service to patients visiting the emergency department, said Phyllis Cerone, executive director of Northwest Community's critical care services.

For example, Cerone said that patients who visit the emergency department for common illnesses like strep throat are quickly treated and discharged, allowing doctors and nurses to keep beds and rooms available for those arriving with critical conditions that require immediate treatment.

In total, officials said the hospital's emergency department sees an average of 180 patients a day, all of whom are treated by doctors and nurses who are certified and trained to specialize in emergency care.

"It takes a certain kind of person and skill set to work in the emergency department," Cerone said. "You need to be both quick thinking and able to work collaboratively."